Hydro-Stream Engine [RE-wrenches]

[Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection]

<x-flowed>"Quite a few"??? I rather doubt that unless it was poorly done. In 
that case, CU would suffer the same fate eventually.
There's no argument that copper wire is far superior to aluminium. 
The point here is the HUGE cost difference, not the fine points of 
the trade. Certainly AL requires some extra care with  regard to 
oxidation, especially at the fittings.
Two things:
1) there have been advances in the making of AL wire in the past five 
years. Both in the way they construct and twist the strands and in 
the insulation.
2) There are MILLIONS of homes and businesses today with 4/0-4/0-2/0 
URD (and larger) as their power feed in wires. It is the wire of 
choice for that application. You can't argue with those numbers. The 
ac vs DC thing doesn't really apply.
Good Luck, Bob-O



>I have also replaced quite a few buried runs of aluminum.... IMO it 
>should not be buried. Overhead
>would probably be fine though.
>
>Todd Cory
>
>"Steve Willey, Backwoods Solar" wrote:
>
> > I hate to disagree with Bob-O, but I would not use aluminum underground to
> > carry DC.  We have had some where one conductor disappears after 
>only 2 or 3
> > years.  Pinhole punctures would be required to do that, but it happens. It
> > may be worth extra to go copper (smaller gauge) or to put it in conduit.
> >
>

Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection
PO Box 203, Hornbrook, CA 96044
800.945.7587 fax 530-475-3401
www.electronconnection.com
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